Game Object Control Using Pointing Inputs to Rotate a Displayed Virtual Object Control Device

1. A method of controlling a virtual object in a video game, comprising: using at least one processor, displaying an image of at least a portion of a virtual hand-manipulable control device on a display; using the at least one processor, receiving user pointing inputs; using the at least one processor, converting the received user pointing inputs into rotation of the displayed virtual control device thereby enabling a video game player to virtually manipulate said displayed virtual control device using said pointing inputs, including rotating the displayed virtual control device image by an amount and in a direction determined at least in part based on the detected pointing inputs; and using the at least one processor, controlling a movement path of a displayed object in said video game in response to displayed virtual control device image rotation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor uses the user pointing inputs to define an initial vector and a final vector relative to a predetermined point, and wherein the rotating comprises rotating the displayed virtual control device by an amount responsive to the angle between the initial vector and the final vector.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including selectively applying user assist in response to detection of said user pointing inputs within a predetermined zone on the display.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including simulating vibration of the displayed virtual control device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting includes changing the scaling of the inputs depending at least in part on a type of pointing device used to provide the pointing inputs.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual control device comprises a vehicular steering wheel and the pointing inputs comprise touch screen positional pointing inputs.

7. A simulation apparatus comprising: a display screen displaying a display cursor; an input device for moving the display cursor in response to pointing inputs; a first graphics processing unit that displays an image of a simulated control device on a first part of the display; a second graphics processing unit that displays an image of a simulated object on a second part of the display; and a processor, coupled to the first and second graphics processing units and to pointing device, the processor changing the displayed image of the simulated control device in a predetermined manner by a predetermined amount responsive to a user moving the display cursor using pointing inputs and animating the simulated control device thereby enabling the user to virtually manipulate and move the simulated control device using the pointing inputs, and applying a corresponding course correction to said simulated object displayed on the second part of the display.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor is adapted to receive inputs from a handheld pointing device and provide the display changes at least in part in response thereto.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising means for selectively providing control assist and blending the assist with the control input to generate the corresponding course correction.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the simulated control device comprises a steering wheel.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said simulated control device comprises a visual target.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor reduces course correction amount over time in response to detecting absence of pointing inputs.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor calculates a delta steering value based on scaled left/right movement of the pointing input.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor calculates an angle that the simulated object should be pointed to be aligned with a predetermined path.

15. A non-transitory storage device storing information including instructions for controlling a virtual object in a video game, the stored instructions comprising: first instructions controlling at least one processor to display an image of at least a portion of a virtual hand-manipulable control device on a display; second instructions controlling at least one processor to receive user inputs pointing at said display; third instructions controlling at least one processor to convert the received user pointing inputs into rotation of the displayed virtual control device thereby enabling a video game player to virtually manipulate said displayed virtual control device using said pointing inputs, including rotating the displayed virtual control device image by an amount and in a direction determined at least in part based on the detected pointing inputs; and fourth instructions controlling the processor to use displayed virtual control device image rotation to control a movement path of a displayed object in said video game.

16. A display device comprising: a handheld housing having a touch screen thereon; and a processor coupled to the touch screen, the processor displaying a virtual control device on the touch screen, the processor receiving touch inputs from the touch screen and rotating the virtual control device by a rotational amount and in a rotational direction determined at least in part based on the received touch screen inputs; the processor controlling the touch screen to also display a virtual object and to control or alter a movement path of the displayed virtual object in response to the rotational amount and rotational direction of the displayed virtual control device.

17. The display device of claim 16 wherein the displayed virtual control device comprises a steering wheel and the displayed virtual object comprises a virtual vehicle.

18. The display device of claim 16 wherein the touch inputs do not touch the displayed virtual control device but nevertheless define an angle of rotation of the virtual control device.

19. The display device of claim 16 wherein the processor divides the touch screen into zones, different zones corresponding to different input control scales to indicate how much control is exerted for the same amount of touch input position change.